


Destiny

by Rosetylars



Series: Saschanos [5]
Category: Sports RPF, Tennis RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 17:13:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19949872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetylars/pseuds/Rosetylars
Summary: AU in which the first time you come across your soulmate, a tattoo appears and becomes a reflection of their thoughts.Aka Saschanos as soulmates because they’re perfect together.





	Destiny

**Author's Note:**

> Idea credit to Bananas for their work “I found you” in the cricket fandom!
> 
> This is fiction! The people and places are real, but the story is not.

Sascha had been working at this cafe in Monte Carlo for two years, seeing thousands of customers over the journey. He had heard the stories of soulmate tattoos, though he wasn’t sure he believed in them until at 17 he saw the unmistakable black ink appear on his best friend Marcelo’s arm. If he let his internal hopeless romantic dream for a moment, he had considered once or twice that if there were a soulmate out there for him, they might waltz through the cafe doors and sweep him off his feet. But Sascha was 22 now, and he figured that maybe he’d missed the boat. 

He’d thought whimsically about the folklore: that once two soulmates came across each other for the first time, a tattoo would appear on both of their bodies, and the closer the pair was in proximity, the more accurate the printed reflection of their soulmates’ thoughts would become. 

But Sascha was a realist; soulmates were rare, and to actually find them was an even rarer occurrence. It was entirely possible for someone to have a soulmate out there for them without ever knowing - if the pair didn’t cross paths in their lifetimes, the tattoos would never appear to entwine their lives. 

He’d had one girlfriend before, when he was twenty - they were deeply in love, the strongest love that a non-soulmate pair could offer - but one Winter’s afternoon, she’d turned up crying on Sascha’s doorstep in the pouring rain with a tattoo on her neck and a bouquet of black flowers. 

“I’m so sorry, Sascha, I really did love you, but destiny has decided for me,” she’d said, before turning her back on him and their relationship and entering the future with her true soulmate. 

The memory made Sascha bitter, yet his potentially hopeless dream of a soulmate still kept him up at night. 

This almost crazy dream was realised one sunny Tuesday morning. He was half an hour into his shift at the cafe, working on the register and keeping everything in order, when he felt an unusual sting on the inside of his left forearm. He slapped at his arm thinking a rogue bug had weaselled its way into the cafe and attacked him, but then his heart raced for an entirely different reason: an inky black word was forming where his skin had been clean before. Even in his shock, he couldn’t help but smile when he read it: simply the word “starving.” The word was written in his soulmate’s neat handwriting. 

Sascha’s heart was beating so quickly he felt like he was floating. Was this it for him?

With excitement, Sascha looked at the cafe entry. He knew straight away that walking through the doorway was the one he was destined to fall in love with. If Sascha paused to think, he would have considered this moment as love at first sight - he never used to believe in that, either. The object of his admiration was a tall young man with the most striking features: deep brown eyes, sun kissed skin and long hair that fell in curls of caramel and gold. The man appeared lost in an animated conversation with another young man, who Sascha noticed had similar eyes and skin tone, perhaps his brother? But despite the company, Sascha had no doubt in his mind that the taller man was the one, as Sascha saw him pull down his sleeve hastily and rub his arm in the same spot Sascha’s had stung. 

Sascha wondered with a quick smile how it was possible for such dainty, careful handwriting to belong to such an athletically built man. 

He wondered what the other man’s corresponding tattoo would say. Sascha knew the folklore; the tattoos reflected a soulmate’s thoughts, but often lacked context, changing more often the closer the pair was - both in proximity, and emotionally. 

Sascha tried to picture his excitement deep in his mind in the hope that it might reflect on this mystery man’s tattoo. He wanted this man to know that he was thrilled to have been paired by destiny. And, if Sascha were to be shallow, Sascha thought the other man was incredibly attractive...

***  
Stef never expected it the moment the tattooed word appeared on his skin. Shiny and black, like drying ink, though when he pressed it with his finger it didn’t run like real ink would. He had heard the stories of soulmate tattoos, of course, but it always sounded like something that would happen to someone else - never to him. Nobody he knew had a soulmate. 

He hastily drew his sleeve down so that Petros wouldn’t notice and make a big scene, but managed to sneak a glance: all it said was “Finally.” Stef’s heart leapt and he began scanning every face in the cafe to try and gather a hint as to who his soulmate might be. However, it was hard to know what he was looking for - there were at least thirty people in the room, not to mention the people packing the busy city street outside - it could have been anyone nearby. He sighed, knowing that he was so close but so far from finding his soulmate. 

**  
Sascha was desperately hoping for a way to talk to the man destiny had decided was perfect for him. He had a hard time trying not to stare as the two brothers sat down and began browsing the menu. Sascha couldn’t take his eyes off of the man - his skin was bronze and looked like he had gold running through his veins. There was a shy edge to his body language, Sascha thought, as if he didn’t know how stunning he was. Like a work of art. 

Sascha was absolutely daydreaming. He was snapped out of his reverie by his boss placing a gentle hand on his shoulder and suggesting he take his lunch break. His heart sank, but he thanked her anyway and headed out the back. 

He desperately hoped that he hadn’t missed his chance to meet his soulmate. 

At the front of the cafe, Stef chanced a glance at his forearm while Petros was occupied on his phone. The tattoo read “no.” Stef stopped himself from groaning. Could this soulmate possibly give him clues that were any more vague than this?!

***  
By the time Sascha came back from his half hour lunch break, his soulmate was gone. Sascha was crushed. He must have visibly been moping because his boss asked if he was feeling alright, suggesting he didn’t seem himself. 

Sascha invented a headache, and she kindly offered him some paracetamol and a rest. He felt guilty so he took the tablets, but didn’t accept a rest. He couldn’t ruin someone else’s day as well as his own. 

His mind was racing like he was a teenager with their first crush. He felt dazed - he’d found his soulmate, but when Sascha’s opportunity to meet him fell through, he felt like he’d ruined his whole future. Only slightly dramatic. 

Sascha sulked through the rest of his shift, attempting to put on a brave face for the customers. He needed to do his job - he almost laughed to himself when his internal voice told him “the show must go on.” 

He tried to forget about his soulmate, but the inked words on his arm made this impossible. The last thing the tattoo had read was “confused.” That must have reflected the last of the other man’s thoughts before Sascha had gotten too far away for the tattoo to change any more.

Sascha wondered, pessimistically, if this word would be stuck on his skin forever. Perhaps he would never be close enough to his soulmate again to experience it changing once more. 

***  
“What’s that on your arm?” Petros enquired as he and Stef entered the lobby of their new apartment building. 

Stef grabbed at his sleeve hastily and yanked it down. “Nothing!”

Petros rolled his eyes and stopped walking. “Show me,” he demanded. 

Stef froze. He didn’t want to admit anything but he also didn’t want to reveal the soulmate tattoo when he had barely come to terms with having it on his body. It felt like something private. 

Petros took advantage of Stef’s hesitation by grabbing his arm and pulling the sleeve up. “What the hell is this? You got a tattoo?”

“No, I-“

“Why would you get a tattoo that just says no?”

“Petros,” Stef said firmly, “shush. I’ll explain.”

Petros looked at him expectantly, but did stop talking. 

Stef looked around the lively lobby in discomfort. “Let’s talk in our room,” he suggested. 

“Tell me what’s going on,” Petros pleaded, but complied by walking with Stef to the elevator. 

They couldn’t continue their conversation as it appeared every person in the building was trying to cram into the one elevator. Stef was quietly relieved to have a few moments to think. 

By the time they reached their floor, Petros was desperate. 

“Stef, what’s going on? Why wouldn’t you tell me before? Are you hiding something?” 

Stef calmly swiped the door with his key card and entered their apartment. When the door finally closed behind them, he spoke. “When we walked into the cafe, my arm started itching and burning. When I looked down, I had a tattoo,” he said, almost in disbelief. “I think it’s all true... I think it’s a soulmate tattoo.”

For the first time all day, Petros was lost for words. “So soulmates are actually real?”

“I guess they are,” Stef replied. “I never really believed in destiny until this,” he gestured towards the ink on his forearm. 

The boys made their way into the lounge area and Stef perched on the arm of the sofa. 

“If you first felt the tattoo at the cafe, does that mean your soulmate was there as well?” Petros asked. 

Stef shrugged. “I really don’t know. Maybe, or maybe we were just in the same area for the first time.”

Petros ran his hands through his short hair. “Stef, you should’ve said something back at the cafe! We could’ve stayed longer, looked at everyone, maybe you would’ve known them when you saw them-“

Stef grimaced. “Thanks for the support, but I was scared,” he admitted quietly. “I would’ve had no idea what to say or do if I did meet them.”

“It’s destiny, Stef, not freaking Tinder!” Petros exclaimed. “You can’t plan this stuff, just let it happen.”

Stef sighed and nodded. Petros was right. He needed to let destiny run its course. 

***  
That night, Sascha barely slept. He was restless, sweating, clammy all over. He worried himself sick wondering if he’d missed his opportunity to meet his soulmate, forcing his mind into doomsday scenarios involving him dying alone, having been linked to a soulmate but never properly meeting him. 

When he did manage to sleep, his brain teased him by conjuring up images of the tall man with the bronze skin and caramel hair.

In the dream, Sascha lay in bed. The other man entered the room, shirtless, with a towel around his waist. “Good morning, beautiful,” dream-Sascha said, reaching for the other man. 

“Morning, my love,” the dream-soulmate said, coming over to give dream-Sascha a kiss. 

Sascha felt the kiss as if it were real - felt the warmth of his soulmate’s lips, felt the pleasant moisture of his cheeky tongue. 

“This is our forever, now,” the dream-soulmate said whimsically. 

“Forever,” dream-Sascha repeated, before they kissed once more. 

Sascha awoke with the feeling of his (imaginary?) soulmate still on his tongue. His stomach dropped when he realised it had been a dream. Had all of it been?

He hurriedly switched on his bedside lamp to check his arm. He was relieved to see the neat black script firmly imprinted in his skin - he hadn’t invented all of it. Only the actual contact and kissing... he groaned. 

***  
Two days later, Stef and Petros were jogging in the beautiful park in the middle of the city. The park was spacious, with a pebbled track around the outside where they ran. The track surrounded a large expanse of grass, dotted with picnic tables and huge trees which must have been hundreds of years old. 

Stef’s mind had been racing pretty much nonstop since the tattoo appeared. Was it possible that he’d seen his soulmate without even realising? Or had they just been in close proximity, not quite crossing paths? He had recalled that the tattoo appeared when he entered the cafe when he and Petros went to get breakfast the other day. He wasn’t sure if the soulmate was another cafe customer, or someone walking by outside. The endless possibilities made his head hurt - he was grateful for the distraction that running with his brother provided. 

They’d run two laps when Stef felt the familiar yet unfamiliar feeling of his tattoo stinging. He stopped where he was and Petros, who had been right alongside him, ended up twenty metres ahead before he realised something was up. 

Stef’s heart raced. Another connection to his soulmate! They must have been nearby! 

When Petros got back to Stef, Stef was looking at the ink on his forearm. It read “warm.” 

“That’s the most broad clue ever,” Petros pointed out. 

Stef sighed. “You’re telling me.” He rubbed the tattoo carefully. Deep down, he was thrilled to have the connection to his soulmate, even if they were still a nameless figure in his head. 

***  
Sascha had a day off, free from commitments, so he took advantage of the weather by taking his dog, Lövik, for a walk from his apartment to the city park. The sky was clear and sunny, heating the bitumen footpath and making the green grass on the sides of the roads glint with sunlight. 

Sascha adored the warm weather - he felt like it warmed his blood and filled him with positivity. It almost helped him forget about the nagging feeling that had settled in his chest since he’d come across his soulmate and the tattoo had appeared on his arm. 

As he and Lövik got closer to the park, he felt the familiar prickling of his tattoo rewriting itself. He felt like his heart leapt so high it could’ve jumped out of his nose. 

When he looked down, the words had formed themselves, reading: “Sweaty.”

Sascha almost laughed. He guessed that his soulmate was out enjoying the sunshine too. He continued walking the dog, subtly looking at everybody who jogged past him. 

***  
Stef and Petros were resting in the shade of a large tree when his tattoo changed again. It said, “He’s nearby!”

Stef was puzzled. It seemed that his soulmate already knew he was a guy. Stef felt a bit disappointed - he had no idea as to the gender of his soulmate. Destiny wasn’t very helpful at giving clues, it seemed. 

The only insight he had into his soulmate’s personality was the messy, rough handwriting that formed his tattoo. 

***  
When Sascha was at the centre of the park, he felt his tattoo changing so frequently that he couldn’t keep constant track of it. He intended to stand still and have a good look around for the mystery man -

Until Lövik saw a cat in the distance, and bolted towards it. Sascha’s wrist was caught in his lead, so Sascha was forced to jog after his dog, all thoughts of his soulmate momentarily forgotten. 

Stef’s tattoo had been ablaze for a few minutes, changing so quickly he couldn’t keep up, so he resorted to putting on his headphones and listening to some music to calm his mind. Stef was convinced that destiny would draw the pair together when they were ready for it - he wasn’t the type to actively go seek this person out. Especially when he had no idea what he was looking for. 

While Stef was caught up with his music and Sascha was caught up with Lövik, Sascha ran right past Stef. Neither boy realised. 

***  
The following day, Sascha had another shift in the cafe. He was quietly hopeful that his soulmate would come to visit again - the cafe’s meals were to die for, and customers normally enjoyed them so much that they returned. 

Every time someone walked through the door, Sascha’s heart leapt, only to come crashing back down when he realised it wasn’t his soulmate. He started to think he was torturing himself, and tried to block out all thoughts of the mystery man. 

He never came. 

When the end of Sascha’s shift came around, Sascha attempted a cheerful farewell to his boss. He gathered his phone and belongings and headed towards the door. 

Right as he walked through the doorway, someone was trying to enter - they collided, and the other person fell back with a stumble. Sascha felt a jolt through his forearm, and yelped. He stepped back, apologising profusely, before his eyes caught up and realised who he’d bumped into. 

It was the mystery man - his soulmate. 

“Shit! Sorry!” Stefanos said. 

At the same time, Sascha exclaimed “It’s you!”

Stef seemed to be a little confused by this, but he was grabbing at his own forearm, having obviously felt the jolt as well. 

In the middle of the busy footpath, the boys took notice of each other’s tattoos at the same time. They were soulmates. 

Stef’s eyes met Sascha’s. “How did you know it was me?”

“I work here,” he gestured to the cafe, “and when you walked through the door the other day I felt the tattoo form, and I looked at you and knew you were the one,” Sascha rushed out. 

“I had no idea,” Stef said in wonderment. “What’s your name?”

“Alexander, but pretty much everyone calls me Sascha,” Sascha gave a small smile, his entire body still shaking with adrenaline, nerves, and excitement. “My dad’s Alexander,” he added unhelpfully. 

Thankfully, Stef found this quite amusing, and laughed gently. It was the sweetest sound Sascha had heard in his life. 

“Sascha,” Stef said experimentally, “I like it, it suits you.” Sascha’s cheeks burnt with a fierce blush. “I’m Stefanos, I just moved here to Monte Carlo from Greece with my brother.” 

Sascha didn’t want to admit that he’d already assumed the other guy Stef had been with the other day was his brother - he didn’t want to seem like a stalker. In his own mind, he thought of himself as ‘investigative’. 

“That’s nice, I’m from Germany originally,” Sascha said. 

Stef smiled. “Soulmates, huh?”

“I guess so,” Sascha grinned. 

“I’m so relieved you’re not ugly,” Stef laughed honestly. “Sorry, that’s a terrible thing to say!”

If Sascha smiled any harder, he would’ve torn his cheek muscles. “Are you saying I’m attractive, Stefanos?” He gently gave the other man a playful shove. 

The contact made both their tattoos tickle pleasantly. 

“Maybe I am, Sascha,” Stef smirked. 

Sascha snapped back to reality a little when he realised he was still wearing his dirty apron, smeared with cinnamon and cocoa. He was also still wearing the folded black bandana which kept his hair off his face. This, too, was covered in cocoa powder and crumbs. “Oh god, I didn’t remember I was this dirty from work, I must look like a wreck,” Sascha mumbled. 

“If you look this good dirty, I can’t imagine how you look when you’re clean,” Stef said, with a shy smile and rosy blush contrasting with his bold statement. 

Sascha blushed at the compliment. “That’s a lot coming from you, you’re absolutely gorgeous,” Sascha said, before immediately regretting it. He thought he was totally coming on too strong. Was that possible with a soulmate?

Sascha didn’t need to have worried, because Stef grinned in return, very pleased. “Are you free for dinner tonight?” Stef asked Sascha. 

They were still in the middle of the footpath, people brushing past them, but both were way too caught up in the moment with their soulmate to realise. 

“Yes,” Sascha smiled with delight, “I’d love that.”

“Me too, it’s a date,” Stef said more confidently than he felt. 

The pair exchanged phone numbers and Facebook profiles. 

“See you tonight,” Sascha said, feeling like his heart was about to explode. 

“See you tonight,” Stef repeated, and in the spur of the moment, he reached for Sascha’s arm and brushed his fingers over the tattoo there that was written in his own handwriting. 

Both tattoos said the same thing: “Happy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I’m working on the next chapter to have up asap. Please leave any feedback you have - this is my first adventure into au!


End file.
